Expert
tips for a healthy life

Anna-Carin Lagerström has a Masters of Science and works as a physiotherapist, health educator and nutrition counselor at the Spinalis’ foundation for people with spinal cord injuries, and she meets a lot of people with bladder and bowel problems.

Daily routines

Anna-Carin promotes the simple fact of living your life in daytime.

“There is actually a correlation between overweight and going to bed in the early hours”, Anna-Carin says.

“Night time is the worst for giving into temptation in terms of snacks, candy, alcohol and cigarettes.

Most friends and family have a more classic daily rhythm—they are awake in daytime and sleep in nighttime—so eventually the nightlife can affect the social life as well. Some miss appointments with their physiotherapist or other healthcare professionals, or just miss out of fun and good things, by not showing up.

“You need a good structure during the day to create conditions for a healthy life. It is difficult to get up in the morning if you don’t have routines that force you to do that”, Anna-Carin says.

Food quality

Food quality is another subject close to her heart. She talks a lot about the downside of processed food.

The term ‘processed food’ applies to any food that has been altered from its natural state in some way, but in daily speech we often mean industrially processed foods with a reduced nutritional value. Most often processed food contains preservatives, unhealthy fat, added salt and sugar, and is lacking in fiber.

“Real food—nutritionally dense food—is the key to good health”, Anna-Carin says. “Processed food causes cravings and over-eating. You don’t feel full, or you temporarily feel full but it doesn’t last, so you eat more and more often. It is a reason for overweight, as well as constipation, which many people in wheelchairs suffer from“, Anna-Carin explains.

Exercise

Physical activity and exercise, based on your physical condition, is also vital for your health. A life in a wheelchair offers a lot of challenges where you need a strong body.

“It’s like brushing your teeth—it is absolutely essential to do it every day. The same goes for exercise, especially since you miss out of the regular daily exercise that walking people get automatically”, Anna-Carin says.

But it’s extra important to exercise smart, and based on your own circumstances.

“Training too hard can cause pain and that might result in problems in the bathroom, when performing CIC or TAI, or handling hygiene. You should avoid muscle soreness since you are so dependent on your shoulders to be able to move around”, Anna-Carin says.

Ask your physiotherapist for a suitable program. If you have pain, in addition to your usual pain, more than a couple of days, you should see a doctor.